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Breaking Boundaries

From millions of artifacts in The Henry Ford’s collections, our experts choose three and reveal the surprisingly curious connections between them. In the featured video below, discover how a marine engine, Thomas Edison's Fort Myers Laboratory, and a record-setting race car connect to one another.

From millions of artifacts in The Henry Ford’s collections, our experts choose three and reveal the surprisingly curious connections between them. In the featured video below, discover how a marine engine, Thomas Edison's Fort Myers Laboratory, and a record-setting race car connect to one another.

Thomas Edison's Fort Myers Laboratory

Thomas Edison's Fort Myers Laboratory

Artifact

Laboratory

Date Made

1885

Summary

This well-equipped laboratory enabled Edison to carry on his investigations even as he seemed to seek a break from business and other matters. The first building to be completed in Greenfield Village, it had a second experimental life, offering seclusion to a select group of Ford Motor Company engineers tasked with developing the Ford V-8 engine in the early 1930s.

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1965 Goldenrod Land Speed Race Car

1965 Goldenrod Land Speed Race Car

Artifact

Racing car

Date Made

1965

Summary

In November 1965 this sleek car flashed across Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats to break the world speed record for wheel-driven (as opposed to jet or rocket powered) cars. One key to its success was its long, slim shape that minimized wind resistance. The other key was the clever engineering that packed four Chrysler "Hemi" engines and the machinery to drive all four wheels inside that slim shape. Goldenrod's record of 409.277 miles per hour stood until 1991. Builders Bob and Bill Summers were part of an automobile culture unique to Southern California. This culture spawned a "hot rod economy," made up of people who made their living building cars and equipment, promoting races, operating tracks, selling equipment and accessories, and writing about cars and events. Bob and Bill's success at Bonneville allowed them to become part of the hot rod economy by starting their own business building custom transmission and driveline parts. Engines: Four Chrysler "Hemi" V-8s, overhead valves, 426 cu. in., 600hp each